Panasonic 15mm f/1.7 overview

Fast and versatile, the Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH. from Panasonic is a 30mm equivalent wide-angle lens for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. Its bright f/1.7 maximum aperture benefits working in low-light conditions and also avails greater control over the focus position for shallow depth of field and selective focus techniques. Intuitive control over the aperture selection is also possible through the use of the manual aperture ring. In regard to focus, an internal focusing system with a stepping AF motor promotes fast, quiet, and smooth performance. The optical design incorporates three aspherical elements to reduce distortion and spherical aberration for sharper imagery with greater overall clarity. Additionally, a Nano Surface Coating has been applied to lens elements to suppress lens flare and ghosting for more contrast-rich, color-neutral photos and movies.

Prime wide-angle lens is designed for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras and offers a 30mm equivalent focal length.

Fast f/1.7 maximum aperture benefits working in difficult lighting conditions and is also useful for controlling depth of field for selective focus applications.

Three aspherical elements help to reduce spherical aberration and distortion to produce sharp, clear imagery.

A Nano Surface Coating minimizes surface reflections throughout the entire visible spectrum for maintained contrast and color fidelity with a marked reduction in lens flare and ghosting.

An internal focusing system, coupled with a stepping AF motor, results in fast, smooth, and precise focusing performance that is well-paired to both still shooting and movie recording.

Metal lens barrel is accentuated by a dedicated MF/AF switch and an aperture ring for more direct, intuitive operation.

Panasonic 15mm f/1.7 reviews

Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 ASPH. Lens is rated
4.7 out of
5 by
46.

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Anonymous from
Stellar wide angle primeThe Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 is sharp across the frame even wide open, has great color and contrast with creamy background blur. The close focusing ability provides surprisingly good opportunities for subject isolation. Though the specifications and test results for this lens are solid they don't tell the whole story of why this is such a stellar lens. The Leica branded lenses including the PL 42.5 f/1.2, the PL 25mm f/1.4 and the PL 15mm f/1.7 do have unique color and blur characteristics. The MFT system has some great wide primes and zooms but the 15mm 1.7 has quickly become my favorite lens in this range.

Date published: 2015-02-01

Rated 3 out of
5 by
Ken from
Pretty good...not amazing.It's the only lens of its length and aperture...so if you need it, you need it. With that being said, focus speed is slower than the Lumix 35-100 2.8...it's not ridiculously slow, but I hope it gives a reference. Pretty sharp...nothing that can't be tweaked in post. But know that I mainly shoot for the web and smaller prints (10x12 or smaller). What really disappointed me was the corner light fall off and corner distortion, wide open. A prime at this cost?!? Come on Panasonic. I didnt even notice this as much on my 20mm 1.7. Color and contrast...pretty good! Better than my 20mm 1.7, not as good as my 35-100. Much love folks!

Date published: 2014-08-18

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Anonymous from
Decent performerSharpness is good, contrast is excellent, bokeh is good, CA is good, autofocus is excellent, build quality and ergonomics are excellent. This is one sexy lens!The Panasonic 15mm f/1.7 is not the sharpest lens I own (the winner is the Olympus 75mm f/1.8), but it's the best prime in this semi-wide focal length. Optically it beats the 14mm f/2.5 and the Olympus 17mm f/1.8. The main difference I see are better corner sharpness and better contrast. The build quality is a lot better also. All in all a decent performer. You get what you pay for.

Date published: 2014-11-11

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Escape to Connecticut from
Lumix Leica 15/1.7 for a weddingI love to shoot fast lenses without flash and I had a wedding coming up. I wanted a fast medium wide angle to complement my Nikon 32/1.2 since Nikon 1 does not have any wide angle that is fast. So why not adding this 15/1.7 to go with my GX7 to pair with the Nikon V2 with the 32/1.2. Well, I was not disappointed and captured some great pictures that would rival the professional at the wedding. The 15/1.7 is fast, sharp, and renders beautifully. I love it enough to get the 25/1.4 to go in between this 15/1.7 and the Nikon 32/.2. I would love having the 42.5/1.4 but that lens is just too pricey and I am already happy with the 32/1.2.

Date published: 2014-11-17

Rated 5 out of
5 by
LMNCT from
Sharp and lightweighThis 30 mm (35 mm equivilent)is sharp and wide enough to be used indoors in a lowlight setting. This is the lens to mount for a party...you can get a wider view and still achieve a separation of subject from background by the proper use of the aperture ring. The aperture ring is very convenient and fully functional on Panasonic cameras. The lens can to be used on other Micro Four Thirds bodies, but the aperture will need to be set through the camera menu system on other than Panasonic bodies. This is a great addition to the GM1, but also great on the other Panasonic bodies.

Date published: 2014-06-25

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Greg from
Another Great Lens by Panny/LeicaI like this lens better than the 25mm Panny/Leica that I've had for awhile, and not just because of the focal length. The focus ring is no longer rubberized which picks up a lot of dust and grime. But -- I also love the focal length! This lens is very sharp across the range, a great size for a 4/3's lens, and it doesn't break the bank. For the price is outshines just about every other prime lens I've owned or researched. Glad I waited for it .... The only odd thing is the hood. You have to remove the decorative ring in order to attach the hood, which uses a rubber lens cap type thing. So there are actually two lens caps that come with the lens, but you use them one at at time. I leave the hood on all the time so its no big deal but it is different. The hood works fine with the B+W filter I use.

Date published: 2014-06-25

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Cale the Graphic Designer from
I hope we get more like this...I've recently got this lens as a companion to my 25mm f1.4 for when I need a wider angle shot. For that purpose it works fantastic but what really sold me is it build quality. The 15mm puts to shame my 25mm with it's all metal body, fstop ring, and metal hood. I wish every lens was built like the 15mm. After getting to hold it at B&H the Olympus 45mm f1.8 felt like a cheap toy by comparison. Even the Olympus 75mm f1.8 felt a bit lacking after using the 15mm. I'm not saying either of those lenses are bad when it comes to optics only the 15mm really opened my eyes to what's possible with build quality. Speaking of optics the lens performs very well giving me sharp images even with the aperture wide open. If you have a Panasonic body and are looking for a wide prime do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Date published: 2015-03-09

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Anonymous from
Nice image definitionGot this to supplement the Olympus 17mm f1.8 for my Pen f. The images from this lens seem more defined than the 17mm, which seem smoother. Also, the extra image coverage is useful when using the cameras built in perspective adjustments (which uses/reduces captured image area). CA isn't as well contained (software?) and the aperture dial doesn't function, but these trade-offs are worth it. The images are very nice. It's interesting how Panasonic and Olympus realize images differently. Both good but different characteristics.